AI, Communities & Coops (CoTech Autumn Gathering 2026)
About this Event
Can AI tools serve our communities rather than just extracting value from them? And how do we adopt them ethically in values-driven businesses?
About the event
CoTech is bringing its network together for a day of honest conversation, genuine connection, and some big questions about the technology we're all living with.
This year's theme is AI. Not the hype, not the sales pitch, but the real debate. Is ethical AI actually possible? And what does it mean for the kind of human-centred, ecologically-sustainable work we do?
We're kicking things off with a panel of expert speakers, then opening the floor. The afternoon is yours: unconference sessions shaped by the people in the room, lightning talks, and the kind of conversations that don't happen at corporate conferences.
Come ready to think, disagree, and leave with something useful.
Who's it for
CoTech members and anyone who cares about tech that serves people not profit. If you work in digital around co-ops, charities and the public sector, and you’re curious about where cooperative technology is heading, this is for you.
About CoTech
CoTech (Cooperative Technologists) is a UK network of worker-owned creative and digital co-ops. Our members operate democratically: no private shareholders, no extracted profits. Just people building better technology together.
Founded in 2016, we believe worker-owned businesses create better workplaces, higher quality products, and greater value for clients and communities. We're part of the workers.coop federation and work to reshape the tech sector through cooperation.
CoTech Website: https://cotech.coop/
About the Venue
SPACE4 is a part of Outlandish, a tech worker-cooperative committed to creating social and economic change. We run SPACE4 to invest in our local community, democratic business, and social movements. We achieve this through providing affordable workspace, networking and training events, and consultancy from our base in Finsbury Park. We are a hub for social innovators and digital activists. Don’t hesitate to get in touch or visit us.
SPACE4 Website: https://space4.tech
Follow us on socials: https://linktr.ee/space4coop
Agenda
🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Arrivals
🕑: 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
CoTech Introduction
🕑: 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
AI Panel Discussion (Speakers tbc)
🕑: 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Break
🕑: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Facilitated Group Discussions
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:00 PM
Unconference planning
🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Lunch
🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Unconference Sessions
🕑: 03:00 PM - 03:30 PM
Break
🕑: 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Unconference Sessions
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 30.00 to GBP 50.00
